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Doris Elaine Schlender (Koester) passed away peacefully after a journey with Alzheimer's with family by her side June 14, 2024 in Mooresville, North Carolina. Doris was born in Northfield, Minnesota January 10, 1944 to Mr. and Mrs. William and Cora Koester. Raised in Northfield, Minnesota on the family farm, Doris graduated from Northfield High School, and went on to study at the University of Minnesota in Saint Paul. During her married life she resided in Minnesota and Indiana, as well as spending over 40 years in Marietta, Georgia before lastly moving to Mooresville, North Carolina to be near her children and grandchildren. During her time in Marietta she was an avid ALTA league tennis player, gardener and successful business owner and office business manager; She was co-owner in Peachtree Limited, Inc. and Southern Playgrounds, Inc. Her business management career was spent at Scholastic Inc, Bauerfeind USA and Complete Water Services LLC. She worked tirelessly, and selflessly for her family and places of employment. She was a true multi-tasker and wonderful home-maker, mother and friend. She enjoyed many fond memories with her tennis and neighborhood friends - especially relishing in play with neighborhood kids and her grandsons, spending hours in her beautifully landscaped yard or in her woods building forts and camp fires, or joining in on a good snow ball fight or scooter race. Throughout her life she was an amazing slalom water-skier, hardly missing an annual vacation to her favorite lake vacation to 'Up North' Minnesota, which also served as a family reunion with her six siblings. She was water skiing up to the age of 78. She continued her lifelong love of nature and the outdoors at her home near Lake Norman, in Mooresville, North Carolina where she most recently resided. She selflessly dedicated her whole life to her family. She cared endlessly for her daughters, always making sure they made it to their next sporting practice, after school class and offering emotional support and true friendship in their later years. She is survived by her two daughters and their families, Mandy Lee Schlender Tantillo (Joseph), and grandsons William Joseph and Thomas Warren; Leslie Elaine Schlender (Julian Robinson) and grandson Rowan Koester Robinson; as well as Warren Schlender; her siblings David William Koester of Dennison, Minnesota, Joanie Lee (Tom) of Denver, Colorado, Vernon Koester (Joan Kraus) and Lois Koester (Skip DeLong) both of Northfield, Minnesota, brother-in-law Tom Swanson (NM), as well as several nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews. Her entire Koester family, and her grandsons, were both her emotional rock and source of endless joy. She is predeceased by Mr. and Mrs. Elmer and Lena Schlender, Barney Schlender; and her beloved parents Mr. and Mrs. William Dewey and Cora Julietta Koester, and sisters Eunice Swanson, Marcia Koester and sister-in-law Gail Koester. Sincere and deepest gratitude and thanks goes out to the entire care team and chaplains of the S. Mitchell Mack Hospice House of Mooresville, for their deep caring and insurance of her comfort in her final days. In lieu of flowers, plant a perennial or favorite tree in her memory.

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Doris Elaine Schlender

January 10, 1944 - June 14, 2024